Handling device



Feb. 23, 1932. w, LORMQR 1,846,525

HANDLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 3l, 1930 fix www f Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY W. LORMOR, 01 CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOB. TO WILLARD STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA HANDLING- DEVICE Application filed January 31, 1930. Serial No. 424,811.

This invention relates generally to article handling devices and more particularly to a storage battery lifting device.

The boxes of storage batteries, according to the present day form of construction, are not provided with lifting handles but are usually provided only with finger holes or recesses Such finger holes or recesses ail'ord a suitable means for handling batteries where only lifting or carrying is involved, but when batteries are to be lowered into or removed from battery compartments, crates or vehicle cradles, such finger holes or recesses are inadequate.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved form of article handling device.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article handling device, of the type having a plurality of work engaging clamps, in which means is provided for adjusting the spacing of the clamps.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a storage battery handling device having terminal engaging clamps and means for releasing the clamps.

A further object of this invention is to provide a storage battery handling device having terminal engaging clamps and means for preventing the flow of electrical energy through the device.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings:

Figure l is a top plan View showing a handling device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the device; V Fig. & is a sectional elevation taken on line 1-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on line 55 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, to which I shall now refer in detail, I have shown a storage battery handling or lifting device as an embodiment of my invention. The storage battery 10 represents a battery of conventional form having a battery box or casing 11 in which are arranged the cells or units 12. Adjacent the ends of the boX the usual terminals 13 and 1 k project above the top surface of the cells substantially on a diagonal line of the box.

The handling device is shown in engagement with these terminals and comprises a substantially horizontally extending handle 15 having terminal engaging clamps l6 and 17 connected thereto adjacent its opposite ends. The clamps l6 and 17 are substantially identical in construction and each com prises a pair of cooperating jaws 18 and 19. ihese jaws are hingedly connected together intermediate their ends so that when their upper ends are wedged apart by the tapered 70 head 20 of the actuating member 21 their opposite ends will be moved toward each other into clamping engagement with the terminal. The clamps l6 and 17 are connected to the handle 15 by means of the actuating members 21 so that when a lifting force is applied to the handle the jaws of the clamps are moved into clamping engagement with the terminals of the battery to which the device has been applied.

In order to prevent the transfer of electrical energy through the handling device when the same has been applied to the terminals of a charged storage battery, I construct the body port on 22 of the handle from suitable insulating material such as fibre or hard rubber. Metallic inserts 23 and 24; are inserted in opposite ends of the body member with exposed threaded portions thereof eX- tending in opposite directions from the ends of the body member and in axial alignment therewith. Pins 25 extend through the body member of the handle and through the inserts to prevent the latter from turning within this member. It will be noted that the inserts are mounted in the body member of the handle with their adjacent ends in spaced relation so that these members will be insulated from each other, thus preventing the flow of electrical energy from one terminal of 100 the battery to the other through the handling device.

To provide for adjustment of the handling device so that the spacing of the clamps 16 and 17 will correspond with the spacing of the terminals of batteries of different proportions, I make the insert 2%- of suitable length to permit the clamp 16 to be selectively positioned upon this insert by manipulation of the lock nuts 26. By means of this adjustment the clamp 16 may be moved relative to the clamp 17 so that the spacing of the clamps will correspond with the spacing of the terminals of the battery to which the handling device is to be applied.

In the operation of the device, a lifting force applied to the handle causes the jaws of the clamps to be moved into engagement with the terminals, and from the construction and arrangement of the parts it will be readily seen that the greater the lifting force may be, the greater will be the clamping engagement of the jaws with the terminals. Therefore, after the jaws have been moved into engagement with the terminals by the force which is applied in lifting a battery, it is necessary to release the jaws before the handling device can be removed from the battery. For releasing the clarnps,I provide a releasing member 27 which is spaced from the handle a convenient distance so that it may be readily actuated by the fingers of the hand which grasps the handle of the device. This releasing member may be constructed and arran ed in any convenient manner, but as illustrated in the drawings it comprises a substantially horizontally extending rod supported by the brackets 28 and 29 which are attached respectively to the clamps 16 and 17. One end of the releasing member is rigidly secured in the bracket 29 as by means of the pin 30, while its opposite end is slidably supported in the bracket 28. To prevent the transfer of electrical energy through this releasing member, I provide an insulating bushing 30 in the bracket 28. When adjustments are made to vary the spacing between the clamps 16 and 17, the releasing member slides through the bushing of the bracket 28 so that this member will have operative connection with one jaw of each clamp for all desired adjustments of the device.

It will now be readily seen that I have provided a form of handling device in which the spacing of the work engaging clamps may be varied to suit pieces of work of different proportions, and in which a releasing member is provided in a convenient location for releasing the clamps from the work.

lVhile I have shown and described the device of my invention in a detailed manner, it should be understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the precise details shown and described, but regard my invention as including such changes and modifications as do not involve a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plurality oi": clamps having cooperating jaws, a handle, and means connecting said handle and said clamps, said connecting means having portions for wedging engagement with said jaws.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plurality of clamps having cooperating jaws, a handle, means connecting said handle and said clamps and h aring portions for wedging engagement with said jaws, and means for releasing said clamps.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a plurality of clamps ha r ing cooperating jaws, a handle, means coir necting said handle and said clamps an d having portions for wedging engagement with said jaws, and releasing means having operative connection with a jaw of each of said clamps.

i. In a device of the charact r described, the combination of a plurality of clamps having cooperating jaws, a handle adji m'tbly connecting said clamps, and releasing means having operative connection with a jaw of each of said clamps, said releasing means comprising a member rigidly connected to a jaw or". one of said clamps and adj ustal ly connected to a aw of another of said clamps.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plurality of clamps comprising pairs of cooperating jaws, a handle, means connecting said handle and said clamps and having portions for wedging engagement with said pairs of jaws, and releasing means havin operative connection with a jaw of each or said pairs, said releasing means comprising a member rigidly connected to a jaw of one of said pairs and ad j ustably connected to a aw of another of said palrs.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plurality of clamps having cooperative jaws, a non-conducting handle adjustably connecting said clamps, rcleasing means having operative connection with a j aw of each of said clamps, and means for preventing the transfer of electrical energy through said releasing means.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plurality of clamps having pairs of cooperating jaws, actuating members for moving said pairs of jaws into engagement with the work, a non-conducting member adjustably connecting said actuating members, relasing means comprising a member rigidly connected to a jaw of one of said pairs and adjustably connected to a jaw of another of said pairs, and means for preventing the transfer of electrical energy through said releasing means.

8. In a device of the character described the combination of a handle, spaced work engaging members, and means operably connecting said members with the opposite ends of said handle, the connecting means at one end of said handle comprising a threaded element, and means cooperating with said threaded element for adjustably positioning one of said members in spaced relation to the other of said members to correspond with the spacing of the work portions to be engaged.

9. In a device of the character described the combination of a substantially rigid handle element, spaced work engaging members, and means operably connecting said work engaging members with opposite ends of said handle element including clamping means for establishing a substantially rigid connection between said handle element and said memhers, whereby the latter are retained in definitely spaced relation and are adapted to be manipulated into operative engagement with the Work by means of said handle element.

10. In a device of the character described the combination of a handle, spaced work engaging members, means operably connecting said members with opposite ends of said handle, the connection between one of said members and said handle being adjustable to permit the spacing of said members to be varied to correspond with the spacing of the work portions to be engaged, and releasing means having operative connection with 7 both of said members for releasing the latter from engagement with the work, the connection between said releasing means and one of said Work engaging members being adjustable.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

HENRY W. LORMOR. 

